Article Sections

Introduction

Informed consent provides the patient with the information necessary to make an educated health care decision about treatment interventions, thereby upholding the ethical principle of patient autonomy.  Informed consent is not required in some situations, such as life-threatening conditions when urgent intervention is needed.

Informed consent is accomplished when the following conditions are met:

  • Information:  Essential information is disclosed to the patient.
  • Decision-making capacity:  The patient has the ability to understand medical information and make a decision.
  • Voluntariness:  The patient's decision is made free from coercion, manipulation, or undue pressure
Information

The informed consent discussion should use comprehensible language and be tailored to the patient's level of understanding.  When patients do not speak the same language as the physician, medically trained interpreters (ie, not the patient's family) should be used.

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